RHS Literary Magazine program receives grantThe Russellville High School Muse Literary Magazine program recently received a grant in the amount of $2,500 from the Walmart Community Giving Program. The RHS Literary Magazine program creates an annual magazine and this generous donation will go towards the printing cost for the 2014-15 school year, allowing RHS students to showcase their original artwork, photography and creative writing in a high-quality, prestigious publication. Each Apr...

Dover school board candidate Q&AEarly voting for the annual school board election begins Tuesday, and there are two contested seats in Pope County — five-year terms in Russellville and Dover. Last week, The Courier ran the Russellville candidates’ responses. The Courier sent questions to the five candidates for the five-year seat on the Dover Board of Education — Angie Billingsley Smith, Christopher Brown, Joe Race, Shawn Bates and Davie Noles. Four candidates’ responses are...

Schools see enrollment jumpsStudents are exceeding their teachers’ expectations once again — not only by quality, but by quantity. The Russellville School District reported an enrollment jump of 163 students over the previous school year. As of Friday, enrollment totaled 5,232 students, an increase from 5,069 students on Sept. 5, 2013. Superintendent Randall Williams said though the growth is exciting, it creates a strain on the schools. “The growth of enrollment is enco...

Students embrace ShadowDOVER — After months of searching, Deborah Starr presented her Alternative Learning Environment (ALE) students with a class therapy dog. "The students' reactions were priceless," Starr said. "Students go home talking about all they get to do with Shadow and how much he helps them cope with the pressures of the school environment." Shadow, a half Australian shepherd and half blue heeler dog, is four months old. "He is a very smart breed," Starr...

Reporter speaks to law enforcement classCLARKSVILLE — The link between the media and law enforcement was strengthened Thursday when a local reporter visited a Clarksville classroom. The Courier's Jeanette Anderton spoke in Clarksville High School's Introduction to Law Enforcement class, taught by school resource officer Sterling Penix of the Clarksville Police Department (CPD). Penix said he asked Anderton to speak to his class regarding the relationship between the media and law en...

Enrollment at Arkansas tops 26,000 FAYETTEVILLE (AP) — Preliminary enrollment figures for the University of Arkansas show that the school has a record 26,301 students for the fall semester. The school says the total is nearly a 4 percent increase from the fall 2013 enrollment — a rate of growth that university administrators said Wednesday is sustainable. Since 2008, University of Arkansas enrollment has increased by 37 percent — 7,100 students. This growth trend led the Chroni...

Brown announces candidacy for Dover School Board seatChristopher Brown of Dover said that he wants the opportunity to “influence positive change in Dover’s already excellent educational process” as he announces his candidacy for the open seat on the Dover School Board. He is married to Melissa Johnson Brown, a third-generation Dover High School graduate, and has had their children in the Dover school system for the past 12 years. Brown said he takes the school’s education system seriously and ha...

Candidate Q&AThe annual school election is right around the corner and there are two contested seats in Pope County. The Courier sent questions to the three candidates for the Russellville At-Large five-year term — Jami Smith Mullen, Timm Murdoch and Ray Black. Their responses are below. Look for a questionnaire of the five candidates for the Dover five-year term in a future edition of The Courier. Russellville At Large Jami Smith Mullen Why are you seekin...

Bus danger zones identified; six tickets issued in one dayPottsville Transportation Supervisor Ray Cynova identified four danger zones for school buses in Pope County: State Highway 7 between Russellville and Dover, West Main Street in Russellville, the new Pottsville bypass and U.S. Highway 64 in Pottsville. "There are several problem areas around the county," Cynova said. "These are probably the worst." He said State Highway 7 from Russellville to Dover is likely the most dangerous. "It's a five-la...

Dover partnership funds extendedDOVER — Superintendent Jerry Owens told the Dover Board of Education during its meeting last week the state extended partnership funds to help pay for renovations and new construction at the middle school. The district was awarded nearly $4.5 million in state-partnership funds in 2013. The district proposed a 5.5-mill increase in September 2013, which was overwhelmingly rejected by voters. Nearly 68 percent of the 1,218 voters — 824 — rejected...

Pottsville pays for resource officerPOTTSVILLE — Tim Overturf, who recently retired from the Pottsville Police Department, will be the school resource officer (SRO) for the Pottsville School District. The school district is currently paying Overturf directly as a contract employee. Overturf, who retired in late July, isn't allowed to be hired part-time by the department for 90 days. In October, the city will pay Overturf $11 per hour up to 29 hours, provide him with a car and pa...

Two Rivers takes the challengeHaving been challenged by various individuals and groups, the Two Rivers School District Administration and football coaches decided to take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge as a group. The officials now challenge other River Valley Schools to do the same. Pictured are High School Principal Barry Fisher (left), Assistant Football Coach J. T. Barlow, Superintendent Jim Loyd, Assistant Football Coach Lawson Hipps, Head Football Coach Jimmy Wilson an...

Arkansas Tech University welcomes Class of 2018To help show support for Arkansas Tech University for College Colors Day 2014, students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends are asked to wear green and gold today. Pictured is the Arkansas Tech Class of 2018 posing for its group photo in front of the Doc Bryan Student Services Center on Tuesday morning immediately following the freshman convocation at Tucker Coliseum. ATU began its fall semester classes Wednesday.

RSD asks for feedback from parentsIn an effort to improve system practices, Russellville School District is conducting a Parent Survey. They value your opinion and ask that you take the time to complete this survey. In order to complete the survey, please go to: http://www.advanc-ed.org/survey/public/2943968 Please be assured that your responses to this survey will be anonymous. Your honest opinion is appreciated. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. The purpo...

Arkansas Tech formally inducts its Class of 2018 during convocationArkansas Tech University officially inducted its Class of 2018 into the Tech family on Tuesday, Aug. 26, during the institution’s inaugural freshman convocation at Tucker Coliseum. Freshmen were inducted as Arkansas Tech students by the deans of their respective colleges. Dr. Robin E. Bowen, president of Arkansas Tech, began her remarks by sharing a brief history of the university with the freshmen. “Today, we inherit the 105-year tradition of...

Clarksville hires speech pathologistCLARKSVILLE — The Clarksville Board of Education approved the emergency hire of a speech pathologist during its meeting on Aug. 18. A bid of $72 per hour was approved 5-0 from speech pathologist Sandra Wyatt to work for the district. Superintendent David Hopkins said it was important the board hire a speech pathologist because school had started. "We've been trying to secure someone," Hopkins said. Business Manager Freeman Wish presented the b...

O'Neill to host Dover education galaDOVER — News anchor Craig O’Neill is coming to Dover on Sept. 15 to host the third-annual Dover Public Education Foundation (DPEF) Gala. The gala will start at 6 p.m. in Dover's high school cafeteria. The event is the primary fundraiser for the nonprofit, which will allow the public to learn more about the foundation and its impact on the community. Event organizers said they are excited to have O’Neill as the guest speaker this year and look ...

RSD reviews health reportThe Russellville Board of Education heard about bumps, bruises and boo-boos during its meeting on Aug. 19. At the request of the school board, Nurse Coordinator Annie Schanink presented an annual health report for the past school year. "I've been looking forward to this report for several months," President Breanne Davis said. "I thought it was a great idea." Schanink said she expects higher figures for this school year because of higher atten...